4
Reviewer's Rating

Clueless Theatre brings The White Oak pub to life with only a couple of bar stools and a pair of multi-roling actors in Jim Cartwright’s Two. 

The focal point of the play is the tired marital relationship between the Landlord and Landlady as they separately interact with the other characters and link the monologues that are the backbone of the piece. The play brilliantly fashions an impression of the whole town with soliloquies that are simple but effective at creating a snapshot of a downtrodden community and the problems within it.

Given the multi-roling required by the piece and the short space of time in which to portray the often tense undercurrents between the characters, the two actors are skilled at establishing the status dynamics in the various relationships the play depicts. Debbie Griffiths in particular is able to switch effectively between parts, subtly differentiating between roles without overacting. Occasionally, however, these nuances are lost – the portrayal of one couple, for example, in which the wife suffers from domestic abuse, fails to convey her sense of fear convincingly.

The play comes full circle, returning to the Landlord and Landlady as they discuss the reason for the breakdown of their marriage – the tragic death of their son in a car accident. This is movingly portrayed and finishes the piece on a poignant note that captures the loneliness and helplessness at the heart of the play.